From Pride to Disappointment: Daniel Kandler Reflects on the New York City He Once Knew
There was a time when walking through the streets of New York City felt like stepping into the center of the world. The skyline inspired awe, the energy was electric, and opportunity seemed to be on every corner. For Daniel Kandler, a proud New Yorker in his early twenties, the city represented everything America had to offer—ambition, grit, diversity, and the freedom to build something from nothing. Today, he hardly recognizes it. “What happened to New York?” Daniel Kandler asks. It’s not a rhetorical question—it’s a real, painful one. “This used to be a city that rewarded hustle and stood for law and order. Now it feels like everything is upside down.” For Daniel, watching the transformation of New York City over the past decade has been both personal and political. A lifelong entrepreneur and family man, he built his early career with the city as his backdrop. Long days, longer nights, and a sense of camaraderie with others chasing their dreams. There was crime, sure. But ther...